Ariana Grande brought humor and charm to the 36th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival as she accepted her Rising Star Award on January 3, 2025. Dressed in her signature chic style, the pop sensation turned actress playfully credited some unlikely “friends” for her glow: Botox and Juvederm.
“You don’t know how much it means to me,” Grande began after being introduced by actress Jennifer Coolidge. “I’ve been performing since I was a child, so I never thought at 31 I’d hear the words ‘Rising Star’ again. I wanted to start by thanking my good friends: Botox and Juvederm. Honestly, I thought by now I’d be hearing ‘Slightly Withering Star’ or ‘Drooping Star,’ so thank you!”
Grande’s comedic remarks drew laughter from the audience, but the singer also got emotional as she spoke about her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the upcoming “Wicked” film adaptation. She called co-star Cynthia Erivo her “brilliant sister” and praised director Jon M. Chu as their “fearless leader.”
“Playing Glinda was the honor of my life. It felt like a homecoming,” Grande said, recalling her childhood days performing stand-up comedy for her grandparents in Boca Raton, Florida. “The past ten years, while focused on music, I really missed the feeling of making people laugh. This feels like the beginning of a new chapter.”
The singer-actress also addressed persistent rumors about her appearance during a September 2024 Vanity Fair Lie Detector Test with Erivo. Grande admitted to using Botox and fillers in the past but clarified she stopped in 2018. “To my face? No nose job, no boob job, no facelift—yet,” she said with a laugh. The test confirmed her answers as truthful, prompting Grande to quip, “Take that, YouTube people!”
Despite her humor, not everyone was on board. Social media reactions to her award speech ranged from support to criticism. Some fans applauded her transparency and self-deprecating humor, while others voiced concerns about her appearance and the impact of celebrity beauty standards.
“This girl is not aging well. The more she messes with her looks, the worse it will be,” one person commented online. Another remarked, “She should’ve also thanked the good Lord for her riches without any talent.”
Still, Grande’s fans rallied to her defense. “She’s living her dream and doing it with humor. Let her be!” one user posted.
While opinions remain divided, there’s no denying that Ariana Grande continues to captivate audiences both on stage and on screen. Her journey from pop star to rising film star is a testament to her resilience, talent, and ability to laugh at herself in a world that rarely makes it easy.
